The restoration of this double storey building in Woodstock, which dates from 1904, has just been completed and it is for sale through Anne Porter Knight Frank at R8 million.
The MAD Group, which is involved in advertising, marketing, event management, call centres and property development and which has already completely renovated two turn-of-the-century buildings in Woodstock, has now completed the restoration of a third building in this area.
The Observatory/Woodstock branch of Anne Porter Knight Frank has a mandate to sell the double storey building, which was built in 1904. It stands on a 803m² erf at 51 Roodebloem Road and has five en suite bedrooms, two living rooms and three garages – an unusual feature for this neighbourhood.
Beryl Southam of Anne Porter Knight Frank says the house has been thoroughly and beautifully refurbished and represents ‘a new peak of perfection’ in this semi-neglected precinct.
“All the finishes are of an exceptionally high standard,” she says. “Many of the ground level floors are tiled in travertine and the bedrooms have laminated wood flooring.”
“The house could make a magnificent guesthouse or even a professional office. The listed price is R8 million, which is probably the highest price ever set for a residential building in Woodstock. However, in view of the high costs of the renovation, this is in fact very reasonable.”
Andre Potgieter, commercial director of The MAD Group, says he and his co-directors have great faith in Woodstock’s ability to once again become one of Cape Town’s fashionable precincts - as it was in the 1890/1925 era when many leading figures lived here.
“It is this confidence that has led to our investing so much in a building that many would never have considered for renovation,” he says.
“Woodstock has many Victorian and Edward buildings, which were constructed to the demanding standards of those times. Artisans underwent lengthy apprenticeships and ‘solid’ long-lasting materials such as Oregon pine, teak, cast-iron fireplaces, pressed metal ceilings and stained-glass windows were used in many middle class homes.
“Worldwide this type of home is characteristic of areas that were fashionable in the early 1900s on the edge of the big cities, but which later went into decline as the cities expanded. We find it interesting that developers globally have moved back into these areas, renovated them and given them new life - and this is what is now happening to Woodstock.
“The success of The Old Biscuit Mill and The MAD Group’s own Bromwell and Rockwell Road buildings, , testifies to this,” says Potgieter.
One of the new commercial buildings in Woodstock, the Boulevard Office Park in Woodstock - owned and developed by Faircape Property Developers, and designed by dhk Architects, Peerutin Architects and Rennie Scurr Adendorff - was recently a joint winner in the Sapoa awards office development category with the OR Tambo Building in Pretoria.
